Outdoor gathering with elderly grandparents?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't risk it. I keep seeing so many people say "We took every precaution - I have no idea how I got it." Well, a 2 yr old is not going to stay six feet away - they have no idea what six feet is. Your little kids could be vectors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Arizona. I want to invite my 80something year old grandparents to my house for Christmas morning. We would stay entirely outside as it will be in the 60s/70s and sunny. We have a massive outdoor table and can easily sit at opposite ends of it. We also have a very large outdoor living room with lounge chairs spaced more than 6 feet apart. It would just be my family (me, DH, 2 yo, and 4 yo). I’d like to offer some kind of food but won’t if that’s too risky. DH and I would wear masks. Our kids would not.

We have an outdoor pool bathroom that would be available for grandparents and doesn’t entail entering our house.

Is it really so risky? I feel it’s Ok but my uncle is adamantly opposed and doesn’t want them to come.

Your uncle is correct. Do not do this.

And why don’t your kids wear masks, especially around old people???

Op here. My 4 yo could, my 2 yo only just turned 2 and he won’t wear a mask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't serve food or drink. Have 2 areas to sit (not just on the other side of the table) The kids going back-n-forth I see as the only problem, and too young to understand.

If it were 4 adults only, I'd say if far enough away you don't even need masks.

Stop taking a poll of other relative's opinions. Nothing good will come of that.

Op here. My uncle lives with my grandparents so I feel like I have to consider his input. I’m not polling anyone else.

No, you don’t just have to consider his input. You should do what he wants. He is living in the same household as they are, probably doing a lot to take care of them, and you are going to endanger his health and theirs when the cdc etc is begging people not to mix households for the holidays?

Do not do this. Your uncle said no. It is not ok for you to go against his wishes given the risks.

It's OP's house. She can do what she wants.

Op here. My uncle is more dependent on them in many ways than the other way around.

I guess I haven’t seen the CDC address whether outdoor distanced gatherings are what they mean when they say don’t gather? I looked this scenario up on the CDC website and it said it was “more risk” than virtual gatherings (duh), but didn’t include it in high risk:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/considerations-for-events-gatherings.html

I feel the advice is tailored to most of the US right now where outdoor gatherings are almost impossible since it’s cold.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The no food issue is silly when most people get carry out and other stuff. Yes, its risky and not a good idea and you know it or you wouldn't be posting.

Op here. This is why I’m confused. Over the summer all my friends were doing distanced, outdoor gatherings. When did the guidance on this change?

Because what used to be low risk is not anymore.

The viral spread is now very high, so instead of rarely encountering a carrier, your risk of encountering a carrier is much higher, and if you get food from a restaurant, the risk that anyone involved in its prep has Covid is high. They might not have symptoms and not think of getting tested - and that's something a lot of people don't understand. Viral spread is driven by asymptomatic transmission. Masks do not protect from aerosolization and surface contact transmission.

No one should be going indoors unless it's really important. No one should be taken off their masks around others not from their own households, and particularly not indoors. Indoor food and drink should be banned nationwide. Dental visits should only be for emergencies. Public bathrooms also pose a problem, because they usually don't have toilet lids, and the plume created during a flush sends Covid particles from feces into the air of the bathroom.

The fuzzy messaging from various public health organizations and governments is LITERALLY KILLING PEOPLE. There should be an intense Covid information campaign, where people are told to wear masks at all times when they go out, avoid indoor spaces, and avoid public bathrooms. This means no travel and no gatherings with food and drink indoors or outdoors. This also means telework and distance learning.

So yes, you can see your relatives as long as they're within a non-stop driving distance. But no sharing bathrooms. No eating or drinking together. Stay masked.

Surface transmission is not an issue as it was thought to be initially. Tony Fauci has said he gets takeout regularly. I am extremely cautious myself (and would not do what the OP is proposing) but many of your suggestions are excessive and not grounded in data.

[Anonymous]

I think it's fine to do this.

[Anonymous]

Can you set up a table further away for them to eat? My 2 yo wears a mask all day- start practicing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The no food issue is silly when most people get carry out and other stuff. Yes, its risky and not a good idea and you know it or you wouldn't be posting.

Op here. This is why I’m confused. Over the summer all my friends were doing distanced, outdoor gatherings. When did the guidance on this change?

Because what used to be low risk is not anymore.

The viral spread is now very high, so instead of rarely encountering a carrier, your risk of encountering a carrier is much higher, and if you get food from a restaurant, the risk that anyone involved in its prep has Covid is high. They might not have symptoms and not think of getting tested - and that's something a lot of people don't understand. Viral spread is driven by asymptomatic transmission. Masks do not protect from aerosolization and surface contact transmission.

No one should be going indoors unless it's really important. No one should be taken off their masks around others not from their own households, and particularly not indoors. Indoor food and drink should be banned nationwide. Dental visits should only be for emergencies. Public bathrooms also pose a problem, because they usually don't have toilet lids, and the plume created during a flush sends Covid particles from feces into the air of the bathroom.

The fuzzy messaging from various public health organizations and governments is LITERALLY KILLING PEOPLE. There should be an intense Covid information campaign, where people are told to wear masks at all times when they go out, avoid indoor spaces, and avoid public bathrooms. This means no travel and no gatherings with food and drink indoors or outdoors. This also means telework and distance learning.

So yes, you can see your relatives as long as they're within a non-stop driving distance. But no sharing bathrooms. No eating or drinking together. Stay masked.

Surface transmission is not an issue as it was thought to be initially. Tony Fauci has said he gets takeout regularly. I am extremely cautious myself (and would not do what the OP is proposing) but many of your suggestions are excessive and not grounded in data.

It also doesn't jive with countries that got their covid under control. I have friends all over Asia that rarely ever cook food in their homes, so every meal was touched by someone else. There are lots of place where the culture of eating out is different/ more an everyday thing- although that's moved to carry away only but still. You also have hotel quarantines where all your meals are delivered to your door all over the world. The idea that everything coming into your home has to be cloroxed has not been born out of evidence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have no problem with this.

+1 except I would mask the kids as well.

[Anonymous]

They only live 5 minutes away

What??? So what -have- you been doing? How has it worked-out? Surely you've seen them during this time. Tell me you've seen them!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They only live 5 minutes away

What??? So what -have- you been doing? How has it worked-out? Surely you've seen them during this time. Tell me you've seen them!!

Op here. We have seen them several times, always unmasked and outside and we’ve shared meals outdoors too. But we have not seen them since Halloween because of how bad the case numbers have been. I feel bad. My kids miss them and they miss our kids and living in Arizona and with our home set up, it’s so easy to be outside and they don’t even have to come in the house to use the bathroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you set up a table further away for them to eat? My 2 yo wears a mask all day- start practicing.

Op here. Kudos to you. My 2 yo only just turned 2 and he has special needs. Also I’m just not willing to fight this battle with him when he’s so young. In Europe they don’t even mask young kids at all. And he’s not in daycare or school and we never take him anywhere except for walks and hikes.

Our outdoor dining room and living room are over 1500 square feet. We have chairs and couches spaced more than 10 feet apart, which is also separate from our dining table which is 12 feet long. I was thinking to keep it flexible and it’s easy to stay apart.

[Anonymous]

Op here. The tricky thing is my 4 yo wants to do a Christmas show for them. He’s been practicing singing Christmas carols and a dance for weeks and wants to sing for, and with them. So I can require him to wear a mask but then my grandparents won’t be able to hear him. They are both hard of hearing and when we wear masks they really can’t understand anything. I know singing is considered high risk, but I was thinking we’d space out 12+ feet apart. We also have ceiling fans throughout and I was thinking to blast them the whole time.

[Anonymous]

I also live in AZ and would be on with this (especially with the separate pool bathroom for them)

I’d have the adults wear masks but not the kids, personally.

I would not allow in laws in the house (take them around the side gate, presuming you have one) , and would just serve coffee and keep the visit short.

Have sanitizer out.

Yes, there is always a risk, but is is extremely small in this case. So- others may disagree but I would do it. It will bring your in laws great joy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. The tricky thing is my 4 yo wants to do a Christmas show for them. He’s been practicing singing Christmas carols and a dance for weeks and wants to sing for, and with them. So I can require him to wear a mask but then my grandparents won’t be able to hear him. They are both hard of hearing and when we wear masks they really can’t understand anything. I know singing is considered high risk, but I was thinking we’d space out 12+ feet apart. We also have ceiling fans throughout and I was thinking to blast them the whole time.

Just do the show outside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. The tricky thing is my 4 yo wants to do a Christmas show for them. He’s been practicing singing Christmas carols and a dance for weeks and wants to sing for, and with them. So I can require him to wear a mask but then my grandparents won’t be able to hear him. They are both hard of hearing and when we wear masks they really can’t understand anything. I know singing is considered high risk, but I was thinking we’d space out 12+ feet apart. We also have ceiling fans throughout and I was thinking to blast them the whole time.

Just do the show outside.

Op here. The entire visit will take place outside, including any bathroom needs (pool bathroom). And like a PP said, we won’t even bring them in the house-they’ll come through the side gate to our outdoor living area.